


A Numbers Game

by Supersage171



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games (Movies)
Genre: 16th Hunger Games, Adopted Sibling Relationship, Canon-Typical Violence, Capitol Citizens (Hunger Games) - Freeform, Career Tributes (Hunger Games) - Freeform, District 11 (Hunger Games), Hunger Games, Hunger Games-Typical Death/Violence, I added everything I could think off of the top of my head, I'll probably add more as they come up, M/M, Original Arena(s) (Hunger Games), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, POV First Person, Pre-Canon, Rye Kinnimonth Has Two Moms, The Capitol (Hunger Games), Tributes (Hunger Games) - Freeform, Victors (Hunger Games) - Freeform, it's what he deserves
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-16
Updated: 2020-09-16
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:48:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,135
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26501647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Supersage171/pseuds/Supersage171
Summary: I scramble to my feet. Have to keep running. Lost. A forest. Figures behind me. Running. Chasing. Chasing me. Three girls and a boy. Careers? The scenery flashes. What time is it? What season is it? Another boy appears in front of me. A collision. Sprawling across the forest floor. I get back up. Have to keep going. Red amongst the green, the white, the orange. Blood.I snap awake.Today was Reaping Day. There’s a chance that I could be picked, and, within the next few weeks, die in the 16th Annual Hunger Games.
Relationships: Original Male Character(s)/Original Male Character(s)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 2





	A Numbers Game

**Author's Note:**

> This work was first inspired by a fic called 75 Years, 75 Arenas posted by TributeAndProud on fanfiction.net. I wrote some stuff down, but that was back in like, 2016 lmao. I've worked on it a little every now and again after that, but it wasn't until I found a new series on YouTube called Tales of the Hunger Games by Christian Blanco that it got fully revitalized. I'd definitely recommend checking it out, especially if you like original fan-made Hunger Games. Hope you enjoy!

I scramble to my feet. Have to keep running. Lost. A forest. Figures behind me. Running. Chasing. Chasing _me_. Three girls and a boy. Careers? The scenery flashes. What time is it? What season is it? Another boy appears in front of me. A collision. Sprawling across the forest floor. I get back up. Have to keep going. Red amongst the green, the white, the orange. Blood.

I snap awake.

I wipe sweat from my brow and try to slow my breathing. I could sense the unease in the air as soon as I woke up, worsened by my nightmare. Today was Reaping Day. There’s a chance that I could be picked, and, within the next few weeks, die in the 16th Annual Hunger Games.

I rub my face as I push myself up, stepping out of my room for breakfast. “Morning,” I say as I grab a meager bowl of oatmeal. Food was running low, again. My mom just nods in response. It was later than usual, and I could hear Ma getting my brother and sister ready.

“You let me sleep in?”

“No work today. Besides…” She trailed off, but I knew what she meant. I’m 18 now, and after taking tesserae for a family of five every year, my name is in that bowl 42 times. The twins are old enough to be Reaped now, but I didn't dare let them take any out.

After finishing breakfast and cleaning up, we started walking to the town square. Most kids walk with their friends after the parents are separated into the viewing section, but I’ve never really been one for talking. Besides, I need to help my siblings.

I walk Ivy as far as I can to the girl’s section, then kneel down to try and get her and Crispin ready for what’s about to happen.

“Wait in line for your turn. When you're at the front they’ll ask for your first and last name. Once they find you in the book, they’ll take your hand and prick your thumb before stamping it next to your name. It’ll sting a little, but it won’t last long. Go to the section with the other twelve-year-olds, try and find your friends. Do you think you can do that?” Ivy glances apprehensively at the stage, but nods, hugging me and Crispin before running off to get in line while I guide Crispin to the boy’s section.

We’re almost at the desk when I feel a small hand slip into mine, grasping tightly. I put my hand on my brother’s shoulder in front of me and lean down.

“Hey, it’ll be okay,” I whisper, “you and Ivy are only in there once, you won’t get picked”

“What about you?” He whispers back, fear in his eyes.

“I…” I trail off, unsure of how to answer. How do you reassure your twelve-year-old brother you won’t get brutally murdered a week from now when your odds of getting reaped are higher than ever? “There are lots of kids eligible for the reaping, and I’m not the only one taking out tesserae. I’ve made it this far haven’t I?” I do my best to sound reassuring, but I can’t tell if it worked.

“Do you want me to hold your hand when they prick you?” Crispin nods mutely. I squeeze his hand as we walk up to the desk.

~

District Eleven’s Escort Kassandra Priam sat on top of the stage, next to Mayor Farwing and District 11’s previous victor Moss. We only have the one, but that’s more than most districts can say. Mayor Farwing steps up to the podium to start reading through the history of Panem that we’ve heard every year, and then the current list of victors. She then introduces Kassandra, who glides up to mic after her.

I almost like Kassandra. She’s more subdued than the few other Capitolites I’ve seen. Though, compared to District Eleven that’s not really saying much. She wears a purple and white flowy dress that drapes too perfectly to not be carefully planned. On each wrist flashes a carved gold bracelet, matched by the circlet in her hair. It’s long, thick, and luxurious, a rich reddish-brown with a healthy sheen matched by her skin, pale and clear. A stark difference to the dark skin and dusty hand-me-downs in the crowd before her.

She wishes us a Happy Hunger Games with a smile. Guess lack of garishness doesn’t change the fact that she’s picking kids to die.

“We’ll start with the ladies first, and may the odds be ever in your favor,” she announces clearly. She then walks to the first bowl filled with paper slips that will seal someone's doom. She digs briefly before picking one with a flourish, walking back the microphone. All I can hope for is that it’s not Ivy.

“Samhain Naysmith.” I breathe a sigh of relief, but stop as the name registers as vaguely familiar in my mind. I can’t quite place it though until a girl with long, dark curly hair is walked on stage. She has some of the same work shifts that I do. We weren’t friends, but we’ve had conversations before. She was gutsy, and fun to talk to, if a bit sarcastic. I felt bad for her, she didn’t deserve this.

Kassandra is about to walk to the boys’ bowl when Samhain blurts out “It’s pronounced Sah-win.” Her mouth snaps shut as if she hadn’t meant to say that out loud. Kassandra just repeats the name, correctly this time, before moving on.

As she reached into the bowl, I could feel every boy from twelve to eighteen in the District hold their breath. If I hadn’t been paying such rapt attention I could have cut the tension with a pair of pruning shears.

“And our male tribute from District Eleven is… “ She plucked a piece of paper from the bowl, unfolded it, and walked back to the microphone. “Rye Kinnimonth!” 

…Shit.

The boys around me cringed away, making it obvious who I was. I didn’t start walking until the peacekeepers began making their way towards me. I didn’t feel in control of my legs though, mind completely blank. It was like I could see myself from outside my body, helpless to do anything but watch.

Before I even realized it, I was on stage, and our Escort was talking. “I now present to you the tributes from District Eleven, Samhain Naysmith and Rye Kinnimonth, for the 16th Annual Hunger Games!” Kassandra moves aside for the mayor to read the Treaty of Treason like she always does. Her words sound dull, and I barely notice when she motions for him and Samhain to shake hands. I look at my district partner and wonder if I have the same fear in my eyes.

**Author's Note:**

> Here’s a fun game I played while writing, how in detail can I describe Kassandra without making it obvious that I basically picture her as a mix of Megara from Disney’s Hercules and just, actual mythological Cassandra.  
> Honestly, I have no idea how often I'm going to be able to update this, or if it's any good at all, but I've had it sitting in my Google Drive for a while now and figured this is better than letting it collect dust. I have the basic plot structure down and some sporadic moments here and there, but it still needs a lot of fleshing out. Wish me luck lol


End file.
